Alum's Love of Music is a Hit with Charities

Michael Speach '02 is putting a new spin on fundraising for not-for-profit agencies. Speach is the President and Head Chocolatier of the 104-year-old Speach Family Candy Shoppe. He's brought a jukebox into his store and filled it with hit records. Customers visiting his business at 2400 Lodi Street on Syracuse's North Side can pay 25 cents to play the song of their choice, and the money is donated to a charitable cause. "It's been a lot of fun and the jukebox has been a great addition to the store," said Speach. "People will play songs while they are here, and when they cash out sometimes they will tell us to donate their change to the jukebox so the next person can play some tunes. It's wonderful to see."

Speach is calling the fundraiser "Quarters for Change" and he's designated a different non-profit to benefit from it each month. Throughout the month of February, it's the NAACP of Syracuse and Onondaga County. Thanks in large part to a robust presence on the internet, Speach's Candy is sold in 49 states. It gives online customers from across the country the opportunity to contribute to a local charitable causes without ever setting foot in the store and putting money in the jukebox.

If you are thinking about ordering something sweet like a chocolate covered fruit arrangement for Valentine's Day, there's still plenty of time! Speach hopes the  added bonus of helping charitable causes will inspire customers. "Nobody rallies around good causes like the people of Central New York. This is a chance for people to create change for the better one quarter at a time!"